Game 149 / 82-67 / 2nd / -3.5 GB : The Yankees had more than one opportunity to overcome a shaky first inning from Adam Warren, but couldn’t come up with the big hit when they needed it. Toronto starter David Price dominated, allowing just 2 hits over 7 innings — and was aided by a stoke of luck when a sure 2-run bloop double down the right field line by Alex Rodriguez fell foul by inches. Price K’d A-Rod after that. A bad call in the 8th also turned New York’s fortune when Brett Gardner was called out on 3-2 pitch that was high, which would have loaded the bases with 0 outs. Reliever Brett Cecil then K’d A-Rod and Brian McCann to end the threat.
Here’s the box score, full recap, and video highlights.
Blue Jays 4, Yankees 2
Bad Omen
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- Ells Heating Up Jacoby Ellsbury continued his good numbers against Price, going 1-3 off the starter and almost taking his head off with come-backer to start the game, which Price stabbed for the out. Ellsbury also make a sweet running catch on a deep shot by Edwin Encarnacion, to rob a hit and end the 5th inning.
- Bird Blast Greg Bird hammered a monster shot to dead center off Blue Jays closer Roberto Osuna in the 9th. Bird also got jobbed a check-swing third stike call that was nowhere close.
- ‘Pen Kept it a Game Down 3-0 after throwing 19 pitches, Adam Warren settled down and kept the Jays off the board for the remainder of his 80-85 pitch count limit until he was lifted with one out in the 4th inning. James Pazos, Caleb Cotham and Andrew Bailey were lights out, while Chasen Shreve and Brandon Pinder, not so much.
- Yet Another Must Win Luis Severino (4-3, 3.12) will take the mound against Marco Estrada (13-8, 3.14) tomorrow in the middle game of the series. The Blue Jays Magic Number is 10, and if the Yanks drop this one, the only thing they can control is their current home-field seeding for the play-in game.
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MEMORY LANE : On today’s date in 2008, after a moving ceremony celebrating the history of the 85-year old ballpark, New York beat the Orioles in the last game ever to be played at Yankee Stadium, 7-3. Julia Ruth Stevens, the Babe’s daughter, throws out the ceremonial first pitch, and at the end of game, team captain Derek Jeter, standing in front of the mound, surrounded by his teammates, bids farewell to ‘House Ruth Built’ in an address in front of the 54,610 fans who attended the Bronx finale.
(h/t: NationalPastime.com, Baseball-Reference.com, Today in Baseball History)
FOOTNOTES : Happy 52nd Birthday wishes to Cecil Fielder, storied member of the 1996-97 Yankee squads … Also a Happy 73rd to ‘Sudden’ Sam McDowell, who started 22 games over the 1973-74 seasons for the Bronx Bombers, toward the end of a 15 year MLB career.
